Strictly: Matt claims Paul Merson won't get a higher score
Arsenal legend Paul Merson is fighting to maintain his position in Strictly Come Dancing as the popular TV show returned for another weekend of sparkle and splendour.
The former England player narrowly survived Week 3, going head-to-head with Toyah Willcox in a tense dance-off but was ultimately rescued by the judges, leading to the departure of the 80s star. Despite the stress, Merson is making the most of the situation, taking on a new challenge, a remarkable achievement given his past personal struggles.
The football commentator has candidly spoken about his previous fights with gambling, alcohol, and drug misuse and now aims to serve as a symbol of hope through his participation in the BBC show. "Being an addict and a recovering alcoholic myself... to show people watching this show who have got addictions, that you can go out and do something like this... is so important," he stated.
"Because addiction takes you away from everything. That's all it ever does. It wants you on your own," according to Wales Online. Embarking on the Strictly adventure, Merson reflected: "Now I'm going in front of millions of people doing something I'm not very good at. I used to think, 'I can't do things like that' but now I've got the opportunity to try."
Merson's battle with addiction, particularly gambling and alcohol, is well-known. In the public spotlight, he has advocated for changes in the gambling industry, a habit that he admits cost him an astonishing £7million over three decades.
He is now banned from all betting companies, and said his income, including the six-figure sum he will earn from his Strictly appearance, is now directly transferred to his wife Kate to prevent him from wasting it on gambling.
He admitted that his gambling problems led him to consider suicide "every day", telling talkSPORT that he only felt relief when he "had nothing left". "When I got to zero I was like, 'I don't have to do this any more'," he said.
In another candid admission, he also revealed that his struggles continued during the Covid-19 lockdowns, as he gambled away a £160,000 deposit for a family home on table tennis bets. Earlier this year, a proud Merson announced that he has been clean and sober from alcohol and drugs for five years, having also battled with those addictions during his career.
In 1994, he confessed at a press conference that he was addicted to cocaine, leading the FA to intervene and send him to rehab.
In a candid piece for the Mail, he recounted the days of substance abuse before training and how his spiralling debts led him to barter away team gear. In his revealing memoir, he confesses: "I started going to an all-night pub in Smithfield Market. Drinking on my own and snorting in the toilets," and admitted, "I'd hail a black cab at 8am to take me up to training and even have a couple of big hits sitting in the back."
Detailing his struggles with addiction, Merson did not shy away from the troubling times, conveying: "I had bookies chasing me, dealers chasing me. I settled one cocaine debt by handing over my Arsenal blazer and reporting it stolen. Paranoia took over."
His successful career with notable clubs like Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, and Portsmouth and even England, now contrasts with his substantial fortune worth approximately £12million.
Amidst the ups and downs, love triumphs for Merson, who celebrated eight years of joyful matrimony with his spouse Kate this summer; together they cherish three children son Freddie and daughters Sienna and Sadie. Previously wedded to Lorraine Costin, the sweetheart of his youth, the former sportsman shares three sons with her.
The marriage dissolved in 2001 when she unveiled the extent of his betting compulsions.
His subsequent marriage to Louise Bache, mother of his twin daughters Mollie and Maisie, also ended in 2013 due to his ongoing battles with addiction. Displaying a more jovial side on the Strictly launch show, he joked about his limited dance experience: 'I've danced three times - they were all at my weddings!"
